Prebiotic Soda LEVO Launches Retail with Kroger
LEVO, a prebiotic soda brand launched by Phocus parent company Clear Cut Brands, is launching into retail with Kroger supermarket accounts, the brand announced this month.
Initially launched last year as a functional energy shot brand, LEVO now offers a low-sugar functional soda line, which is available in six flavors: Cotton Candy, Root Beer Float, Orange Creamsicle, Splice (lemon lime), Voodoo Cola and Cosmic Punch. Kroger will serve as the exclusive retail carrier for Cosmic Punch, while all six flavors are also available online via Amazon and at select on-premise accounts, including The Pollo Lounge.
Each 12 oz. can of LEVO contains 5 grams of fiber, 5 grams of cane sugar and 30 calories. Online the drinks are available for $29.99 per 12-pack, with promo pricing of $26.99.
Clear Cut announced LEVO this Spring, seeking to position the brand as an alternative to indulgent mainstream soda products with a nostalgic approach to flavor.
“It’s an exciting time to release LEVO, a soda that is actually good for you to drink and has an exceptional taste,” said Clear Cut CEO Joseph Nickell in a May press release. “We’re proud of the flavors we’ve created and can’t wait to see how people respond to modern twists on some of the old-school classics.”
According to the company, Kroger’s same-day grocery distribution service Oscado “has also enabled wide-scale expansion of LEVO into states without physical locations.”
LEVO is the latest addition to Clear Cut’s portfolio, having launched last year as a shot brand alongside hydration drink line Clear Cut Hero. In April 2023, Clear Cut rebranded its functional sparkling water brand Phocus, announcing a partnership with musical artist Jack Harlow, but the company appears to have quietly reverted that brand’s packaging to its previous look and has dropped any mention of Harlow in its social media and marketing materials.
Yesly Makes First Nationwide Rollout, Launches Energy
Functional water brand Yesly is going national with a limited time launch at Sprouts Farmers Market stores, the company announced on Instagram this month.
The brand was founded in 2022 by Essentia founder Ken Uptain and former CEO Scott Miller. The company makes a line of 16 oz. canned functional waters in Pomegranate Acai Blueberry, Lemon, Black Cherry and Kiwi Strawberry flavors, which feature vitamins, electrolytes and zero sugar.
According to the company, Yesly will be merchandised in Sprouts’ “New For You” forager section.
Beyond expanded distribution, Yesly also launched last week an energy drink line in 12 oz. cans, featuring a similar makeup of B and C vitamins as the core enhanced water products with an added 114 mg of caffeine from green tea. That line comes in Lime, Mixed Berry, Tropical Punch and Green Apple flavors and is now available on Amazon.
De La Calle Targets Hispanic, Independent Grocery
Having repositioned its line of canned tepache drinks as a “Modern Mexican Soda” last month, De La Calle is making strides in the Hispanic and independent grocery channel in the U.S., telling BevNET it has received confirmation for rollout into Northgate Market and Superior Grocers stores.
Speaking to BevNET last month, De La Calle co-founder and CEO Alex Matthews said the brand is aiming to do more to reach Latino consumers who are more likely to be familiar with tepache, a traditional fermented Mexican beverage.
The brand is currently sold in over 8,000 doors nationwide, including mass channel chains like Walmart and Target.
More distribution news from around the industry:
- Flavored vodka and RTD cocktail maker Chay Spirits announced via LinkedIn that its products are now stocked in Total Wine & More stores in Texas.
- Happy, the coffee brand co-founded by actor Robert Downey Jr., is now on pace to reach 50,000 points of distribution by the fall, said co-founder and CEO Craig Dubitsky in a LinkedIn post.
- Chlorophyll Water is now available at all Wegmans stores, according to founder Matt Levine.